IT'S MOVING DAY!!!

 

Read more to see my new place in the UK!

As many of my followers know, I recently moved to the United Kingdom... and let me tell you, this move has been full of nothing but stress. During these days, I have spent most of my time adjusting. Way of life is different, my everyday routine has been uprooted and replaced. Coming from Arizona, the weather here is super depressing... its gloomy all the time, with hardly any sunshine... literally a complete 180. On the flip side, I can say it didn't take me long to get adjusted to the 8-hour time zone difference... Although, I would say the only thing that has been a struggle with the time change is living in a different time zone from family and friends... I often find myself staying up super late... sometimes up to 1am just so I can call back and talk to everyone in the states (I'm literally dealing with EST, CDT, MST, and PST). 

I've also been trying to get used to the ancient internet speeds out here. I mean I haven't experienced 3G since what, like elementary?? In my hotel room, even with Wi-Fi, I literally have to stand in this one spot to get decent internet... 

The food out here is unpleasant, respectfully. I mean, think about it, you've never been out and about and heard anyone say, "HEY, let's go eat at this English restaurant!" I've experienced a few local English spots my short time out here... and in conclusion, I've quickly learned two things. The first one being, they don't season their food. And no, I'm not being dramatic... they hardly use any sodium when cooking. I went to the movies the other day, and I was so disappointed there wasn't any butter on the popcorn. The popcorn is popped, and that is all... think of how homemade popcorn is on the stovetop... Bland AF. Secondly, they use natural sugar (no artificial stuff). So things like Sprite or Oreos, or even a blueberry ICEE, don't taste the same. For the ones that have ever been on the KETO diet and used Stevia, the desserts and sweets leave an aftertaste that reminds me most of the sugar plant. Realistically, I think it's awe-inspiring that they have healthier diets compared to the US. I mean even the portion sizes are a lot smaller. But I have already decided to cook more frequently and eat out less often. I will say I am excited to shop at local markets and get fresh fruits and produce. Even the bread I heard is superb compared to the states. In fact, I heard they don't even put sugar in their bread. 

I guess you could say in conclusion, I am a little homesick, but I will say I'm also optimistic, and I know with time things will get better... especially once I get settled and into my new norm. Living out of three suitcases in a hotel room has been so ghetto, and if this move has taught me anything, it's to expect the unexpected. 

With that being said, I am not aiming to be closed-minded or negative at all. I am thrilled to learn about the history and culture of the English for these next couple of years.

Nevertheless, I am blessed to say that I will be moving into my cute little bungalow (one-story house) today!

Let me just start by saying house hunting isn't the easiest in the UK. They do things a little differently here. When looking for places to live, there are about three main sites that the English typical use when searching for apartments, houses, duplexes (as Americans call it), etc... Through these sites, letting agencies, or what we would call "relators," post properties for rent. 

I was thrown off a little bit with the aesthetics of the properties while searching for a place to move into... I guess honestly, I expected things to be like the US - at least renovated that is... Living in rural England, the construction of the houses is dated and reminds me of the Middle Ages. Picture cute little brick cottages, but attached to each other... Just kidding, but obviously finding somewhere to stay wasn't the easiest for someone like me. And don't get me wrong, beautiful houses exist, as well as places that are renovated... but unfortunately, the truth is they just get taken fast.. And that's facts. For example, just to put things into perspective, a property could be posted today and rented out the same exact day. Hence, finding somewhere that I wanted to live for at least two years wasn't going to be a jog in the park. Those that know me know I love modern and chic design. So coming out here, I was determined to find exactly that.

So with the demanding market in combination with my needy desires, finding the right place wasn't so promising, but I wasn't going to rush the process either... I was not settling! 

House hunting was interesting, to say the least...I'm not sure what's up with the English, but I don't get their obsession with wallpaper, they love it out here. The houses I viewed had the ugliest and tackiest wallpaper in them too. Even worse, they love combining the wallpaper with some outlandish paint color. Then, some houses have carpets that are weird colors, like yellow or green... And WHITE APPLIANCES... Chile, I can't do the white appliances (in my Nene Leaks voice). So yeah, that turned me off a lot while I was searching... 

On another note, I didn't want anything that appeared too old either, because I've heard many houses are haunted. If it was a big house and the money wasn't adding up, I automatically kept swiping, because to me that was a sign to stay away haha.

In reality, I actually found some decent places while hunting, but then one factor would throw it off and I wouldn't want the place.

Low and behold, I found the perfect place within a week of being here! I honestly thought it would take a lot longer than the time it did. Places I was interested in were going fast, so I just knew it would take a while to find something I could actually see myself living in. 

My house is the perfect example of don't judge a book by its cover! The outside still gives the typical English vibe, with the inside being modern and newly renovated. I personally don't like anything too big because it's just me, and I get scared easily.  I know it sounds cheesy, but I couldn't be happier with the place I found, and I feel like it was destined to be. 

House features:

KITCHEN: Newly renovated with a built-in fridge and freezer. It also has a breakfast bar with which I fell in love with. You won't find that a lot while searching for houses. I also love the openness of the kitchen. While searching, I focused on how the kitchen looked in all the homes... I wanted a nice kitchen because let's be real... I'm going to spend much of my time in it, haha!

BATHROOM: Also newly renovated with a glass shower and LED mirror over the sink. This was another selling point. I found most houses didn't have mirrors in the bathroom, which is definitely something I'm not used to... Americans typically get ready in the bathroom, rather if it's makeup, doing hair, or shaving. The mirror was a plus, but the LED light was the cherry on top!

MASTER BEDROOM: This room has a built-in wardrobe, or what Americans would simply call a closet. This was another beauty of this place. Most English homes don't have closets in them. The rooms are also known for being very small. I lucked out with the wardrobe, and I also have plenty of space for my queen-size bed and my dresser.

Overall, I am in love with my place! Ya girl feel like Goldielocks... it's just the right size for me! It's in a cute little town with many elderly people. Originally, I wanted to live in a bigger town that gave me more of a city feel. So my heart was set on living in Bury St. Edmunds, which would have been a 20-minute commute to work. Bury has a nice town center and reminded me of home away from home. This was mainly due to fewer open fields and more shopping centers. Even though I didn't end up moving there, I'm still satisfied because my place ended up being significantly closer to work, which was a win. After all, gas is expensive out here, and your good sis is trying to save her coins anywhere she can! 

As far as decorations, I'm bummed that I am still waiting for all my furniture and things to get here from the states. So until then, it'll be me and my air mattress, but I have to take the baby wins. I am super grateful that I found my place and already have the furniture to furnish it.

Can't wait to share more updates with you guys about my experience in the UK... stay tuned for an update once my furniture gets here.

-B